my random ramblings

Tag Archives: responsibility

I love being able to help out businesses/people regarding branding, advertisements, packaging, layouts, photo editing, drawing, creating ideas, creating unique personalized gifts, helping you when you have a fashion crisis, flyers, illustration, doing my little sister’s school project/assignments, making designs for the church..etc. which is pretty neat!

But there are also times that I hate being one.

Like when people expect you to work for free. *No, I don’t work for free. I have bills to pay too, just like you. Do you work for free?* Or when they ask you to create a design and end up bossing you around to do what they want and create a ridiculous design then blame you for the awful design. *Have you forgotten that I just created what you want?!* Or when people think that artwork is not work. Or when people expect you to churn out the artwork right after giving you the details to the last minute because it is already needed. *I need time to create!* Or when people say, Woah you charge that much?! It looks so damn easy! *Yeah right, save yourself the trouble and do it yourself then!* Can you do my (event) invitations for free? I can get you in for free! *seriously, I am not interested in your event* My son/daughter is just insert age here 10 and below and is a really good artist just like you. *facepalm* Design for us for free and it will be good word of mouth advertising for you. *WTF?!* Create a poster for me then gives me a lot of crappy, small sized photos and tells me to Photoshop it, then when told that those photos cannot be used, they get angry at you and tells you that you cant do Photoshop. *tableflip*

Exactly how I feel. People who does graphic design for a living will find this funny. (form the internet)

And usually all I can say/do to those people described above is just to politely smile and shrug of whatever they just said. *But in my mind, I just high fived their face while shouting aaaaaaarrrrgggghhhhh! like a Spartan*

I also found a list of why you should and should not date a graphic designer from the internet and found it hilarious! I tweaked it and made my version.

For better or for worse, the dynamics of credit and blame are at the heart of every team and organization and make or break every career. Unfortunately, credit and blame are rarely assigned in an objective or fair manner, and individual psychology, team dynamics, and corporate culture all influence, and are influenced by, how credit and blame are given and received. Too often, people and organizations get caught up in “the blame game” and the wrong people get blamed for the wrong reasons at the wrong time. The result can be that people are demotivated and demoralized, focus more on organizational politics than on getting the job done, and are too afraid to speak up or experiment with new approaches. –The Blame Game

I just got back at the office. Forgive me but I really need to get this off my chest. See the past few days has been a real pain for me.

Last Friday (Aug. 16,2013), was like a normal work day. Went to the office and worked overtime (even if I was the only one left) till 8:00 pm and on my way home I got mugged.

Saturday (Aug. 17,2013), still a normal half day – work day. Went to the office, finished my Physical Exam and waited for the editing team to get their job done. 12:00 came and Too bad they are still not done nitpicking with it, and the nerve they sort of expected me to wait for them. Sorry, but no. I left. I got soaked from the sudden downpour.

Sunday (Aug 18,2013) was a normal Sunday for me. Went to church and all. but I got home to this sight, our house now has a wading pool. apparently the drain is not working and instead of water going in the drain, the drain gurgles water to our home.

useless drain

Monday (Aug. 19,2013), The Philippines encountered typhoon “Maring”. I did not go to work. Our house was flooded. Tire deep waters outside, Inside is a bit higher than gutter deep. Classes, Government offices are closed due to severe weather.

taken Aug 19 outside our home

I tried to get to the jeepney stop. But no jeep stopped for me. Manila City Hall is not passable.

jeepney stop

A speeding jeep, I did not get to ride.

lone jeep that passed me by after 30 mins of waiting.

Tuesday (Aug. 20,2013), The storm is still raging. Still flooded in my house. I cannot get to work. with the whole Metro Manila paralyzed, how the hell is some one going to work?! ( I have been looking at the news on the television, still looks pretty bad.)

When the first thing I saw outside is this still smoking motorcycle that the flood has freshly claimed. I dare not go to work.

One of the many motorcycles that broke down in front of our home.

At exactly 8:40 am I got a text from my editor.

Editor: Hi! I know you didn’t close the issue last Saturday & the work area is flooded since yesterday. What are we going to do about this?

Me: I have been trying to call you using Viber since I am low on prepaid credits. I think it is best if you can talk to my supervisor.

**I was already trying to contact my Supervisor**

**I am under Graphics Department, not exactly a “staff” of her magazine. I am not in the office. My Supervisor is in the office that is why I am telling her to talk to him. **

Editor: It is YOUR responsibility. I think YOU should talk to your supervisor. Or talk to your Art Director on what you are supposed to do now.

**My Art Director is out of town since Friday. He knows nothing about what happened.

Me: My Supervisor will be the one to assign who will layout the fashion section of the newspaper, since he is the one in the office. It is better if you talk to him to coordinate.

**Supervisor is in the office, Though He cannot do anything about the situation He is planning on assigning my task to anyone in the office.**

Editor: I am not talking about the newspaper. I am talking about the magazine, Did you get to close it? did you send it to press? is it being printed? I have no issue for this Friday.

Me: The final copies are not with me. Since they (her magazine staff) is still editing it last Saturday.

Editor: So where are they? aren’t you supposed to wait for them to submit to press? Its not my staff’s responsibility to send it to press, they don’t know how to do that.

***I was biting my tongue to keep myself from saying isn’t it your staff’s responsibility to give it to me on time? knowing they don’t know how to send it to press?***

Me: Agreed. But they should have given it to me on time. All the files are till in your department’s PC. If the flood subsides, I will personally head over to the office and send your magazine to the press.

Editor: Of course copy should always be submitted on time but there will always be times where there will be delays. You have to learn to be a team player and not abandon ship just because it is 12 noon and it is time for you to go. (She was pertaining to Saturday’s half day.)

***by this time, my prepaid load has run out.*** My blood is boiling! I was mugged last Friday because I stayed late to finish the task. while She and her staff headed out. Then you are asking me to extend my time that Saturday?! I didn’t even bother you with the detail that I got mugged and had a jack knife in front of my face last night because I thought it would be like I was being overly dramatic that I went home late. WTF. Team player my ass! Being team player means being concerned with the whole team not just your staff! FYI: IT TAKES TIME(HOURS) TO LAYOUT AND SEND TO PRESS. I AM NOT A MIRACLE WORKER THAT WHEN YOU (EDITOR) SAY SEND, IT IS DONE. IT TAKES 3 OR MORE HOURS TO SEND YOUR MAGAZINE IN TWO DIFFERENT VERSIONS!!! FYI (again since you and your staff loves to use the word FYI so much): IT IS YOU AND YOUR STAFF’s RESPONSIBILITY TO MIND THE DEADLINE. IS IT BETTER IF YOU HAVE NO ERRORS ON THE MAGAZINE BUT YOU HAVE A LATE OR WORSE, NO MAGAZINE? OR A MAGAZINE ON TIME WITH FORGIVABLE GRAMMATICAL ERRORS?! OFFICE HOURS NOT ENOUGH?! ADJUST! I WONT GET RICH FROM OVERTIME PAY! I ALSO DO NOT ENJOY OVERTIME! WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?

I then got a call from my assistant supervisor. They will send a truck to fetch me from home to get me to the office. Off I go.

On the way. Take note that the person with the umbrella is walking on the sidewalk. the street flood is waist deep in this area and homeless kids are now swimming as the truck passed by.

Riding the truck. On my way to get to the office. This is on the higher side of the road. To the right=deeper waters.

I had to pass through a lot of murky waters and hold my breath/pray that the truck wont stall and I be left stranded in the flood.

I also had help from a fellow office mate who happened to be on his way out to find prepaid credits. I asked him to also buy me some. Then sent this really long message with a lot of “suppression” of speech.

Me: Noted Ma’am. however I did everything I can to push for the deadline. I agree that there will be delays and certain sacrifices will have to be laid w/c is why I did everything in my own capacity to deliver my responsibilities on time. How do I send a magazine with no articles inside?! Under normal circumstances, work can be completed on Mondays, as noted on all previous issues. It is regrettable that we were not able to come to work due to severe weather. Similar to today. I want to come to work but circumstances are preventing me.

Ma’am I beg to disagree with your comment on being a team player and sacrifice. I stayed Overtime last Friday to finish the task required of me, despite people from the team including you heading out. I stayed to finish my task w/c resulted to me coming home late and unfortunately being mugged. Please understand that I understand being a team player and sacrifice. As for completing the mission, I just hope that in the future, other members of the team you and your staff would also think that I have a life/family to get home to. And unlike you who drives around, and can go anytime you want just send your articles thru email, I have to be in the office to do my job, and to top it all off I have to commute to and from work would also understand the same thing.

After a while she answered.

Editor: I understand. I’m so sorry to hear you were mugged, I hope you were not hurt. I have spoken to my staff that we have to adjust our schedule and make sure the magazine is closed by Friday. Saturday will be for minor corrections & sending to press. because come Monday, editorial has to start work on the next issue. It is also a lesson for me and my team that deadlines need to be strictly met. Lets continue to work on this.

***Even before, this was supposed to be the deal right? Deadlines are called that way because they are important!!!***

I then messaged the editor back that I am in the office. and has already sent the magazine, and is waiting for the Friday newspaper materials.

Then her editorial assistant miraculously was still alive messaged me that I still need to get the corrections and final copies from their department. I shot back at this one. minion, the nerve of you, NO ONE IS AT THE OFFICE! YOUR DEPARTMENT IS LOCKED! I DONT HAVE A KEY! DO I SMASH THE GLASS DOOR TO GET THE MATERIALS?

Me: Do you understand the situation?! Do you want me to send the magazine or lets just call it a day and I will go home.

Editorial Assistant: I was merely suggesting.

***Maybe you should think for a while before you speak!!!***

Apparently, the editor and her minion editorial assistant talked to one of my office mates to help them out with the newspaper.

Both of them are in the comfort of their home.

I then have to get my materials from my office mate, who happily gave them to me as he is pressed for time for his own deadline. With his own editor at his side.

after doing the layouts for some time… I got this from my own editor:

My Internet is down and it’s taking a long time to download the attachment. My editorial assistants can view the layout? Please. check if you can. thanks.

Wow. I am speechless. after telling me the values of being a team player, sacrifice and responsibility…

After I braved the storm/rains and flood waters to get to the office, to take one for the “team”. It is just that easy?

***I should have said sorry dear editor, I cannot make it to work. k thanks bye. ***

Well, no wonder your “team” cannot meet the deadline. You being a boss have set a very good example for us to follow.